Inimical
by Arigatou Sheitarou
Summary: [Major AU, post 1st season] The TSAB is corrupt. Fate isn't the nice little girl we all know and love. Nanoha has forgotten all about magic. And when Fate kidnaps her and places her in the middle of a four way war, things get out of control. [FateNanoha]
1. Prologue: End of an Era

_**A/N: **Here we are. I finished this today. Been dying to write that last scene, but I had so many tests...but finally. I did it. Hope you like it too. And before you start asking, the next thing I'll update is S h a t t e r e d, okay? And maybe I'll finally get to finishing the last installment to the series of one shots. Be on the lookout for those two, okay? Thanks a bunch to all the people who have reviewed Melody. Heh, seriously. You guys make my days so much happier. By the way, the title means: Hostile. So, read and enjoy my newest rabid plot bunny induced story._

**Inimical**

_"Darkness assails the heart as it tears…_

_Half-heartedly struggling with hope and despair…"_

**Prologue**: The End of an Era

The floor felt like ice as she huddled in her corner. She trembled, and wouldn't stop, gasping at the emotion that tugged at her heart with a vice-like grip.

_"She'd rather forget. She told us herself."_

A whimper escaped her lips as the nagging voice in the back of her head argued against those words…Argued with all she had, because she did not want to be forgotten. She wrapped her arms around her chest as tightly as she could. Because if she didn't, nothing would be there to hold the pieces together.

The sound of hurried footsteps reached her ears, and she stiffened in apprehension. A stream of blinding light leaked through the door as it opened, illuminating the darkness. She felt hollow as they approached her, trying not to scare her, but it didn't work. It never worked. Because she knew they were back to take her _there_. To take her to the cold, steel table where they would strap her. Where she had no chance of escaping.

She let out shuddering gasps as she crawled desperately away from them. Pure, paralyzing terror. A terror that made her heart stop beating.

She struggled, kicking out as hard as she could, trying to tell them to stop, but they never listened. Frozen hands took her by the shoulders, forcefully and almost sadistically ripping her from the floor. And the impulse that had been building itself up in her throat for the past hour tore out from her mouth in a violent scream.

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The day after she had said goodbye to Yuuno and Fate, Nanoha had gone to school feeling cheerful and excited. Her classes felt as if they were dreams, and her friends, namely Alisa, had gotten irritated at her lack of attention to their conversations. Truth be told, she was only too glad when the bell rang and she could leave and head home, eager to see whether or not they had sent her anything to inform her on how things were going.

"Nanoha!"

She snapped out of her reverie.

"Yes, Alisa-chan?"

"Get your head out of the gutter! We need to talk about this! You're the one who invited us over in the first place!"

"Sorry! I was just thinking about something else."

"We know. You've been kind of spacey the whole day." Suzuka observed, gathering her things from her desk.

"Nya." She laughed, "I have, haven't I?"

"Well, we have to go get our stuff, so we'll split up and meet at your house, okay? And make sure to ask your parents!"

She rolled her eyes and sighed, smiling. Everything felt as though it were as it should be. She was happy. Blindingly happy. And there was warmth in her heart that showed whenever she smiled. Her friends could tell there was something that was making her act that way, but they remained quiet, simply glad that she was happy. It took a little convincing of Suzuka's part, but Alisa managed to stay quiet and enjoy it.

When they were half way to Nanoha's house, they parted ways. She ran the rest of the way home, and when she was there, she slipped off her shoes and skidded to a halt in front of her mother.

"Ah, Nanoha-chan, you're back early. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything's fine! Alisa-chan and Suzuka-chan are coming later tonight with their stuff, if that's okay."

"Yes, of course! They're always welcome here. Oh, and, Nanoha-chan?"

She turned to her mother.

"What is it?"

"Have you seen your father?"

"I thought he had practice with the team today."

"Oh, right!" Her mother smiled embarrassedly, "I forgot."

She grinned and, once her mother was out of sight, jumped inside her room. The first thing she did when she turned around was notice that something was wrong.

Everything was gone.

She frantically searched for Raising Heart, turning over everything in her room. The album of pictures she had collected was not in its place beside her bed. Instead, there was a small device, which activated once she had it in her hands. A familiar voice rose out from it. Saying the things she never wanted to hear.

_"Takamachi-san…this has gone on long enough._

_After holding a meeting, we have decided that it is best that we do not involve you in the TSAB's procedures anymore and allow you to live the normal life you deserve. Scrya-kun and Testarossa-san have agreed that it is best for you to forget about our existence, and to continue living as you had before you met Scrya-kun. _

_We hope you__ live__ a good, normal life. We shall bother you no longer. It has been our honor to have you by our side…truly, Takamachi-san…It pains me to have to say goodbye. But they have deemed it necessary. _

_…Goodbye, Nanoha-san…_

_…We never existed__."_

The device disintegrated in front of her eyes, transforming into dust that seeped into her skin, which she inhaled after a loud sob…and then she fell to the floor, everything around her spinning. Fading. To **black**.

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Silhouettes, all around the body strapped to the cold steel table.

Unconscious.

Hands prodding. Intruding.

Syringes piercing skin.

_"…Success after success…result of Project F…the greatest creation…__Testarossa and __Scaglietti…wonderful results..._Double_ the dose__."_

Burgundy eyes snapped open.

And in the distance, thunder cackled.

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"Nanoha-chan…"

There was a strange sensation in her chest. Something shook her shoulder, and her eyes slowly flickered open to reveal Suzuka's worried face.

"Nanoha-chan…are you okay?"

She sat up, unable to speak, somehow knowing that if she tried, she would throw up. She nodded her head, and rubbed her eyes. They had begun to sting after she opened them.

"Sheesh, she probably fell asleep again." Alisa said, scrunching her eyebrows at her in a knowing way. "Although the floor doesn't seem like a comfortable place to sleep in…"

"It's not." She managed to say, rubbing her sore throat.

She felt as though she had inhaled a bag of dust. Alisa sat on the edge of her bed while Suzuka placed her bags on a corner in her room.

"Why in the world did you do that, then?"

Nanoha grinned sheepishly.

"I don't know."

Alisa rolled her eyes. Suzuka simply smiled knowingly. There was a knock at the door. Shiro poked his head in.

"Oh, you're back!"

Her father nodded.

"Practice is over. Momoka said you seemed excited about Alisa-chan and Suzuka-chan coming over, so I brought you something from the café."

Nanoha beamed.

"Thank you!"

Her father chuckled.

"You're welcome."

He closed the door behind him. Nanoha jumped up to follow him, eager to see what he had brought, but Suzuka held her back.

"Hey, Nanoha." Alisa said, pointing at the floor. "Who gave you those? We haven't seen them before. They're pretty."

Nanoha looked in the direction in which Alisa was pointing. Two black ribbons lay in a small heap on the floor. She walked over and picked them up, holding them gingerly in her hands.

"Who …?" She trailed off.

_Who gave those to you?_

The emotion in her chest intensified. And she crumpled to the floor, sobbing, arms wrapped around herself, trying to hold the pieces together even though she had no idea why she was falling apart in the first place.

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She stood at the very top of the building, surveying the midnight skies with calculating eyes.

She spotted a flicker of movement from the corner of her eyes.

She smirked.

They never stood a chance.

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Takamachi Nanoha was like any other normal seventeen year old girl. She had normal friends, went to a normal high school, and was respected by the normal underclassmen as the senior that she was. People could probably go as far as to say she was as normal as a human being could be. Happy. Well balanced. Smart. A student with great prospects. The role model teenager parents want their kids to take after.

But of course, as with many other people before her, her life, contrary to popular belief, felt empty.

Truth be told, she felt hollow and devoid of purpose, as if she were missing a part of her. A part of her that had been important, but she could not remember what it was. Surely, though, she could not have forgotten something so important to her that easily. So then why exactly was it that she could not remember? She had been trying to solve this problem since she was a child and had frustratingly gotten nowhere.

The day that all changed, though, was the day her life would alter completely. It was the day in which she had her midterms. The day she had fought with her parents over something stupid, for which she felt completely guilty after she left her home. The day she had been picked for grocery shopping, because she was the only one available, and she reluctantly trudged all the way to the supermarket. The day she had chosen to take the short cut home instead of walking the proper way back.

The day she had an unexpected clash with a thing called destiny.

And all the while she walked through the alleyway, she felt as though she were being watched. Paranoid, she looked over her shoulder in time to see a cat jump over her and into the open dumpster. Breathing in a sigh of relief, she continued on her way, completely oblivious to the fact that her life would soon be twisted beyond recognition. By the one thing that, deep down, she had never expected to see again.

As she emerged into the deserted streets, a sudden shiver ran down her spine.

The moonlight seemed to hide behind the clouds, and little light seeped through to illuminate the streets. A desire to run to her home as fast as she could suddenly overwhelmed her, but instead, she stood her ground. It was foolish to react like a small, scared child that still depended heavily upon her parents. Annoyance at herself surpassed her sudden terror, and she continued on her way, this time making sure to remain on the dimly illuminated sidewalks. Because after all, light was light.

And in the distance, thunder cackled.

And that was when she noticed that there was another thing hiding the moon that _wasn't_ a cloud. Instead, it was a filmy sort of cover which expanded like a dome over the area surrounding her. Quite suddenly, a touch of nostalgia wormed its way into her heart. Then it was gone like a whisper in the wind, and she felt as though it had never been there at all.

Overwhelming curiosity took over her and she ran forward, eyes narrowed. The paranoid feeling of being watched increased tenfold as she entered the familiar plaza in which she and her friends had stood earlier in the day, relaxing after their strenuous midterms.

Lightning cackled again.

A bright flash caught the corner of her eye.

And she saw them.

They were twenty feet in the air. A flash of gold met green and sent a shower of sparks floating down at her. And they were _flying_.

She let out a small and uncharacteristic yelp as one of them crashed into the floor a few feet away from her. Laughter rung out in the air, and the silhouette of the figure still in the air floated down almost gently to the ground. Moonlight finally managed to show through the cluster of clouds in the sky. And it managed to illuminate the most beautiful figure Nanoha had ever seen.

Tall, with the silkiest blonde hair, wearing a uniform that most definitely suited her figure. She held a sort of staff in her hand, and wore gloves emblazoned with an odd triangle shaped symbol. Black ribbons tied to her hair, accompanied by a black cape. And a merciless smirk that chilled Nanoha to the bone.

"You should know by now that you can't defeat me, Yuuno_-kun_."

And with a voice that was smug, daring, and beautiful all at the same time.

The boy struggled up, his green eyes flickering with spite. Blood ran down the side of his face, and although he showed no signs of pain, Nanoha could not help but cry out.

"Stop it! What are you doing?!"

And for the first time, as if they had not once noticed that there was someone else there, they looked her way. And at first, the boy seemed to struggle with himself. And then a look of stupefied disbelief passed through his features and he stumbled back. The girl narrowed her haunting burgundy eyes at her, but then an odd little smile stole her perfect lips and her smugness was back.

"What are you doing here?!" The boy snapped, a look of panic crossing his features.

"What does she look like she's doing here?" The girl began, pleasantness etching her voice. "She was obviously getting groceries for dearest little mommy and daddy…Don't you see, Yuuno-_kun_? She's still an obedient little girl."

While Nanoha was stumbling over the familiarity of the way she addressed her, the boy named Yuuno glared at the other.

"You shut up! We're not done with you just yet!"

The girl looked amused. There was a sadistic gleam in her eyes that made Nanoha shudder.

"Are you going to try and capture me again, Yuuno? Onii-chan?" She spoke to the area around them. "So they can take me back to that nice steel table and run their experiments on me all day just like they used to?"

There was bitterness in both their eyes this time, although the girl hid it with another complacent smirk. A figure came out of the darkness, followed by a few others.

"What you did was unforgivable, no matter what they did to you." A man with cold eyes answered, walking up beside Yuuno. "You have no way to escape this time. And I'll make sure to capture you."

"Get real." She scoffed, and laughed, "Besides, we have a guest we must attend to, isn't that right, _Yuuno-kun_? You let her get past your little barrier undetected. Another mistake by the great admiral Chrono Harlaown, I suppose?"

A vicious snarl and he took a step towards her. But then his eyes stopped on Nanoha, and recognition mixed with irony flashed through his eyes.

"I didn't expect for her to still manage to get under our radar." Yuuno told Chrono. "I should've foreseen this."

"Unless you've forgotten, you're not exactly a fortune teller, are you, Yuuno?" The girl said spitefully, "To make you feel a little better about yourself, though, _I_ didn't see this coming either."

Nanoha narrowed her eyes and glared at the girl. She had no idea what was going on, but she was beginning to like the girl less and less.

"What the hell is going on here, and what's it got to do with me? Who the hell are you people?! Why can you fly?!"

The girl smiled pleasantly, and bowed as if introducing herself.

"My name is Fate Testarossa."

And suddenly, she disappeared.

Hot, sensuous breath enveloped her right ear making a shiver run down her spine involuntarily. She was frozen to the ground as arms wrapped around her body and pulled her close, to another that was warmer, and most definitely female. Her breath hitched in her throat as she trembled against her, pleasant shivers coursing through her with a number of other sensations she could not begin to label.

"Hmm…" The other hummed breathlessly, "Long time no see…_Nanoha_."

_**A/N: **I think I made the ages pretty clear. But just in case:_

Nanoha- 17

Fate- 17

Yuuno- 17

Chrono- 22

_I'll post the other ages as they come. Alright? Now how was it? Nngh...If it rushed, it was meant to rush. If it didn't, then...oh well. But it was meant to leave you a little disoriented. In some parts, at least._

_:nudges reader towards review button:_

_Oh, by the way, I've finally updated my quote collection. Ha. Yeah, I procrastinate. Heh. But I'm writing. Don't worry. And thanks again for your support. _

_Cheers!_

_PS: Anyone wanting to contact me, send me a message through the profile and I'll give you my AIM. Better like that. Easier too. _


	2. Chapter 1:  Grand Theft Nanoha

_**A/N: **I got a quick chance on the computer. No early parole, I'm afraid. And if I have the chance and time, I'll update S h a t t e r e d today! _

**Inimical**

**Chapter 1: **Grand Theft Nanoha

_Satan, you know where I lie  
__Gently I go into that good night  
__All our lives get complicated  
__Search for pleasures overrated  
__Never armed our soul  
__For what the future would hold  
__When we were innocent__…_

_Angels, lend me your might  
__Forfeit all my lives to get just one right  
__All those colors long since faded__…  
__All our smiles are confiscated__…  
__Never were we told  
__We'd be bought and sold  
__When we were innocent__…_

_This prayer is for me tonight  
__This far down that line and still ain't got it right  
__And while confessions not yet stated  
__Our next sin is contemplated...  
__Never did we know  
__What the future would hold  
__Or that we'd be bought and sold...  
__We were innocent__…"_

_-Innocent, by Fuel._

She was in a daze. Completely and utterly, helplessly, senselessly dazed. The breath enveloping her ear that made her tremble chuckled softly at her reaction. And ironically, it was this chuckle that snapped her out of her daze, and she wrenched herself from the burgundy eyed demon's grasp. And she whirled around, and shook, her legs nearly caving in at the dangerous look within the other's eyes. She struggled to regain control over her thoughts, struggled to remember the confusion and the frustration she had been feeling only seconds prior. But the moment the other girl had touched her, every other coherent thought or sentence had escaped her.

And instead, she had focused on the feelings. The sensations coursing through her.

"Wh-who the hell do you think you are?!" She shouted, the quake in her voice lessening the impact her words had.

"But I already told you." Fate said with a contemptuous smile, "I'm Fate. And it's been far too long."

"Don't you dare involve her in this!" Yuuno snarled; his face twisted as he took a few clumsy steps towards them.

Fate looked straight towards him, the humor in her eyes and beautiful face gone.

"She was involved in this from the start. After all, wasn't she the one that saved us all?" She laughed hollowly, "Then again…maybe not." The laughter was gone and the blonde looked straight at her before continuing, "She never did want that chance, did she?"

"It was her decision, Fate. Get over it." Chrono stated. "We did."

Fate nodded. And smiled. And almost instantly, Nanoha knew something bad was going to happen.

"Too bad she owes me."

And at that instant, Fate disappeared, and Chrono immediately dashed in front of Nanoha.

And sparks shone in the air.

Fate was forced back, skidding slowly to a halt. And she smirked.

"You've gotten a bit better."

And this time, she stood straight up, a bright yellow circle making its appearance under her. Nanoha watched, mouth agape, mind racing to come up with a logical explanation for what was happening around her. And there was none. Because this…was magic.

"Bardiche!" Fate shouted.

"Yes sir!"

Her scythe expanded, glowing a fiercer yellow than ever before. She rushed forward, and Nanoha had never seen anyone move so fast.

Like lightning.

And she was flung backwards by the force in which they clashed. Her head hit hard against the floor, the ringing in her ears growing louder. Her heart swelling up like a balloon at the emotions that pressed against her. She rose unsteadily to her feet, her eyes unable to keep track of the burgundy eyed girl's movements. But something deep inside her knew who would ultimately win the fight.

And just as she had the thought, Chrono was slammed into the wall of an office building. He slumped forward, bleeding, and cursing under his breath. But before he could issue an order, Yuuno was moving forward again, oblivious to his own wounds. Because his anger was so intense. And he lashed out, nearly taking Fate by surprise, but the girl smirked, because Yuuno was, as he had always been, predictable. And she easily shoved him back, with no need of her scythe.

Because she could just as easily outmaneuver him without magic as she could with.

"Pitiful." The girl stated.

And there was a blast of magic, a flash that blinded Nanoha completely, and a roar in her ears that came from the monster the other girl had unleashed.

The blast of magic knocked Yuuno straight against the other subordinates, who had raised their own devices in a poor attempt to help their commander. Chrono dashed at her from her left side, a stumbling Yuuno from the right. And Fate rose both arms, magical barriers forming instantly. And the crack from their efforts was even louder than the roar Nanoha had heard earlier. For a second, she thought she saw Fate falter. But then it was gone, and a murderous smile was back in its place.

Fate forced them back, and they struggled to regain their balance.

"I believe it is time I take my leave." She murmured pleasantly, so quietly it was almost...eerie. "I hope you don't mind. I'll be taking my guest with me." Nanoha was acutely aware of Yuuno's horrified glare. "Take care, Yuuno-_kun_, _Onii-chan_."

"No!" Yuuno roared, raising his hands once more. "Stop her!" He yelled to his subordinates.

They moved too slowly, and she shoved past them easily. So quickly, it felt as though she had simply teleported across the small plaza. To stop right in front of Nanoha. And her eyes widened in horror as the other girl smirked at her, pressing herself against her forcefully, wrapping her arm around her waist once more. Raising her free hand up to the heavens.

The clouds parted, and lightning struck. And suddenly, all Nanoha could see was white.

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The sound of dripping water reached her ears.

A constant drip. Like a beating of drums.

Her eyes fluttered open, slowly, heavily. They watered as a burning sensation pierced them. She blinked rapidly, constantly. And she could not discern where she was. She shifted, and groaned. Her body ached. She flexed her hands and rubbed her eyes, gradually sitting up.

She was sitting on a bed inside a dark room. There were shutters covering the windows, and the only source of light was a door that stood ajar at the far end of the room. She stumbled over to it, and swung it wide open. A small living room of sorts lay in the center, with a TV in the middle. To its left was a small kitchen, and to the right of the refrigerator was the door, also ajar, to the bathroom. There was another door, which was closed, and from what Nanoha could see, it was locked.

But it never hurt to try.

A tug at the doorknob proved to be a wasted effort. It was, indeed, locked. For a brief moment, she wondered where she was. She seemed to be inside a small apartment, alone. She frowned and moved to look inside the bathroom. Yes, she was alone. She had been kidnapped and left alone, when she could climb out the window.

She moved towards it and opened it. Thankfully, before she jumped out, she looked down. And saw a nice, long drop that practically spelled death if she had the brains to attempt it. She growled in frustration. Tearing back inside the room, she stopped at the kitchen and opened the drawers. No knives. No sharp, pointy objects she could use to stab. What a pity.

And again, her realization that she was alone left her sputtering in annoyance. If she was going to be kidnapped, there had to be _someone else_ in the game. Lest it would not be called kidnapping.

"What kind of kidnapper is she?" She muttered in disbelief.

"The sexy kind."

And strangely, she did not panic. In fact, the only emotion she felt at that time was irritation. Not at having been kidnapped, oddly. But at the other's annoyingly egotistical comment. She turned around and glared at the burgundy eyed girl.

"Sure you are." She said sarcastically, even though she was nearly rendered speechless with only one glance at those enticing eyes, "And my name is Takamachi Ahonan."

The other girl laughed, rolled her eyes and shut the window through which she had arrived. One word from her mouth and she was back to how she would normally dress. And Nanoha was rendered speechless by the sudden display of magic. Fate twirled a little triangle with her fingers and turned back to Nanoha, smiling smugly.

"What are you?" She asked, trying to wrap her mind around the magic.

Fate smiled wider.

"Fate Testarossa."

Nanoha took an involuntary step back as Fate stepped closer to her.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" False innocence.

A glare was sent in the blonde's direction.

"You're not going to explain anything? Nothing?"

"Not really."

"Why?" A growl laced with frustration.

"Don't feel like it."

And then the blonde proceeded to take off her shirt. Nanoha yelped and looked anywhere but Fate.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"I," The blonde began, smirking deviously, "am taking a shower."

She stepped ever closer. Nanoha's back hit the wall and she glared defiantly at the burgundy eyed girl.

"Don't look at me like that." She snapped.

Her legs felt weak. Fate was looking at her in a way she had not been looked at before. As if she were a mouse to be hunted down…something a snake might find…tasty.

"Oh…look at you _how_?"

The burgundy eyed girl leaned in closer, breath again blowing sensuously in her right ear.

"Tell me Nanoha…" She breathed, "Look at you _how_?"

She shivered. In an unpleasantly pleasant way.

"Like I'm something to eat…"

Fate nipped at her ear. And leaned back with a laugh. Nanoha quite liked her laugh. It was the only part of Fate that seemed natural.

The other girl lifted her chin up with her finger, a light, teasing smile playing at her lips.

"Would you like to join me?"

Nanoha narrowed her eyebrows.

"You wish."

Fate laughed again, letting her thumb trace the side of Nanoha's face. Slate blue eyes were slightly unfocused, breathing hitched. She unconsciously leaned slightly in to the touch.

"My offer still stands if you change your mind…" She trailed off, her usually smirking face now filled with something other than smugness.

And it was only until the girl turned to the bathroom that Nanoha realized what that was. She shook her head roughly, flushing slightly. She froze, something else catching her attention. Small, multiple marks lined Fate's back. Scars. Barely noticeable scars.

She resolved to ask about them later.

"Oh, if you want something to do, Nanoha-chan…turn the TV on. I think you'll enjoy the show."

She rolled her eyes, determined to hate anything the blonde offered, and plopped on the couch. That was around the time that she noticed she was taking her kidnapping rather well. She huffed. Nothing was going well. She had gotten the most arrogant kidnapper in the universe. Not to mention one of the most perverted. She turned on the TV and almost immediately, a news report came on.

_"We are currently investigating the disappearance of 17-year-old Takamachi Nanoha. She was reported missing last night at 12:00 by her parents, who had sent her to get some things from the local supermarket a little earlier in the day. At first, they thought…"_

She felt oddly estranged from the outside world. It was the first time she had ever felt so helpless and alone.

_"…were found at a plaza near the supermarket. Along with the bag, a ribbon said to belong to the missing girl has been found. Local authorities believe she has been kidnapped by the dangerous criminal Fate Testarossa who had been spotted at a location nearby earlier yesterday. This crim__inal has killed numerous people and is quite deadly. You should not attempt to apprehend this criminal alone, even if she appears very young…"_

She felt numb with relief, even when she felt another person sit down beside her. The police knew who had her. They knew. She looked towards Fate, who sat cross legged, a very calm air about her. And against all impossibility, the burgundy eyed girl smiled. But this time, it was not at all a pleasant smile. And for the first time since she had seen her, Nanoha was afraid of Fate. Because for the first time, Fate's eyes looked _dangerous_.

"My name is Fate Testarossa and I _am _a very dangerous person." There was steel in her voice. It was icy. Bone chilling. "I have killed, and I do not regret it. I used to be a nice little girl, just like you were, but then some sick, sick people screwed around with me. And they made me sick too. Just like them."

Nanoha shivered. But still, Fate continued, turning off the TV.

"I used to be innocent. I used to think I could trust people. But I learned the hard way that no matter who you confide in, they will always betray you in the end." A bitter smile lined her mouth. "And I was kept as a lab rat. Until two years ago, when I was fifteen and I…" She closed her eyes, smiling sadistically, "…snapped. I killed them all, Nanoha…that is, all except one."

The girl's eyes opened, and Nanoha had never seen them look so dark.

"…Jail Scaglietti. The current commander of the TSAB. The one who ordered all of those experiments to be performed."

And finally, Nanoha dared to ask the question she had been dreading for the past day.

"…what do I have to do with this, Testarossa-san?"

"Oh, but you're the one he hurt first, Nanoha. You're the one whose life he affected first. Don't you remember, Nanoha? Don't you remember telling him you wanted to forget all about Yuuno? All about magic, and the TSAB? All about _me_?" She snapped bitterly.

She did not have the words, or the ways to express how she felt at that moment. She could not explain why her heart was pounding madly in her chest. Or why she felt as though something she had forgotten was suddenly close to being unraveled once more.

"Of course you don't. You forgot." Fate's bitter tone intensified.

In the blink of an eye, the girl had made it to the door, knuckles whitening with the force with which she held the doorknob. Suddenly, Nanoha was acutely aware of the unnatural silence in the room. She stiffened. Something was wrong. She could feel it. The profound silence throughout the whole building should've been an impossible feat. Not one sound from the world outside. Only a silence so profound it nearly made her shiver.

"Do you like blood, Nanoha-chan?"

Before she could flinch in annoyance at the other girl's overly familiar ways, her eyes widened at the almost sadistic smile Fate's face. For the second time that day, the other girl looked like a killer.

"…N-no, I…" She faltered when she saw Fate's smile widen.

"Then I suggest you close your eyes."

She didn't even have time to think.

One moment she was sitting on the couch watching Fate, and before she could blink, the other girl was hauling her out the door, triangle twirling in her hands. She was dragged down the stairs of the building, to one of the many corridors. It was dark and smelled of musk, and for a reason that escaped her, she was more afraid of the fact that she was inside one of those corridors than she was scared of Fate, the girl who had killed and enjoyed it. And that felt worse than having killed herself.

And before she even had time to gasp, she was shoved into another corridor, a barrage of bullets making itself heard. Fate let go of her hand, and suddenly, Nanoha panicked. The psychopathic blonde jumped back in the corridor, smirking as her inhuman speed left the intruders astounded. Before Nanoha could blink, Fate had made it to the first man, kicked him in the stomach with her knee and jabbed the gun's barrel into his left eye. And quick as lightning, with no hesitation, she had pulled the trigger.

Her scream of horror never left her, even as she watched Fate tear the gun from the dead man's hands, and jump to the side to avoid the bullets being sent her way. She jumped up and ran the side of the wall as if she were naught but a feather, tossed herself at the ground and rolled. And then she was back up, gun cocked in her hand, a cold, deadly stare upon her face as she shot the rest of them down as quickly as she had killed the first one.

Nanoha did not know why she warned the other girl. She should never have warned the other girl. But she did so with her scream as another man snuck up behind the blonde with a knife. With a fierce snarl on her face, the burgundy eyed demon ducked the first swipe, and swept the legs from under the man. She drove the palm of her hand flat against his face and there was a sickening crack as the man's nose broke. Fate twisted his arm, and placing her foot against his face, she tugged.

Nanoha looked away at the man's screams, unable to do nothing but gasp in horror, real paralyzing terror taking over her heart. And before she could think about it, she was running down the corridor, panic roaring in her ears. Her heart beating madly in her chest as she ducked inside one of the open doors. As she locked herself inside, and searched for anything that might help her escape. But there was nothing within that dark room, nothing except her fear.

Finally, she found a window. There was a fire escape leading down to the dark alleyway, the small light of dusk from the rapidly darkening skies doing nothing to clear her head. She yanked the window open and threw herself out of it, her panic blinding her senses. The fire escape rattled loudly as she landed, and she struggled to get up and run down the stairs.

But suddenly, there was a flash of color, and before she knew it, it exploded and she was falling.

She landed hard on the pavement below, but quickly regained her senses and tried to get up. She was picked up by the scruff of her shirt and dragged to her feet. And as she looked at the blonde, burgundy eyed girl, she also caught a flicker of bloodied silver.

"Now, Nanoha…" The voice was amused. There was a loud ringing in Nanoha's ears. "…Where did you think you were going?"

She glared at the burgundy eyed girl, doing everything in her power not to cower in fear.

"I thought I made it clear I didn't want you following me with the way I locked everything." She said softly, her voice shaking.

"Oh…" Mock surprise. "And here I was thinking you enjoyed my company…Was that too much for you, Nanoha?"

She swallowed dryly.

"Quite a bit too much, Testarossa…"

"I'm sorry."

Fate took a step forward. Nanoha couldn't help her reaction. Before she knew what she was doing, she wrenched the knife from Fate's grasp. And because her hands were trembling, she let it go. It fell right next to her feet. She dropped to her knees, but before she could get to it, a shoe stepped on the knife, taking it beyond her reach.

Fate's hands were warm on her shoulders.

"…That's okay…I have other things with which I can draw blood…"

There was a light, playful nip on the base of her neck.

And before she could stop and think about the consequences, her fist had driven straight into Fate's face. She kicked off the ground, sprinting towards the end of the alleyway. She wasn't even halfway there when she was shoved forcefully against the wall, the barrel of the gun pressed against her forehead. And those eyes were furious.

"Listen well Nanoha-chan. Right now, we're playing by my rules." A sinister tone. "One more of those stunts and I'll blow your head off. Maybe chop it off if I feel like it."

A dangerous smile. One that chilled her to the bone.

"I won't tolerate any of this crap, got it?" False pleasantness etched into her voice. "You won't get very far if you keep this up. You're my victim. I'm your kidnapper. And there's nothing you can do about it. Now please, Nanoha-chan. Get used to it…

"…Because from now on, you're living your life on the run."

_**A/N: **Oh, honestly. Did you think I'd be able to stay without updating until December? Please. Heh, got to go!_

_:accidentally shoves reader towards review button:_

_Sorry, sorry! -quick grin- I don't want to extend my punishment. Remember, if I have the time, I'll update S h a t t e r e d later today! Thanks for all of your support! Couldn't have done it without you!_


	3. Chapter 2: A Lot Like Irritation

_**A/N:** Sorry for taking so long. My internet went and died, and only just today have I managed to get internet on a friend's computer. We were busy working on this stupid Thanksgiving week project. Well, Happy Late Turkey Day to all of you!_

**Inimical**

**Chapter 2:** A Lot Like Irritation

_"Playground school bell rings…again.  
__Rain clouds come to play…again.  
__Has no one told you she's not breathing?  
__Hello, I'm your mind…giving you someone to talk to…  
__Hello…_

_If I smile and don't…believe…  
__Soon I know I'll wake from this dream…  
__Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken…  
__Hello, I'm the lie, living for you so you can hide…  
__Don't cry…_

_Suddenly, I know I'm not sleeping…  
__Hello, I'm still here…  
__All that's left of yesterday…"  
__-Hello, by Evanescence_

The arm around her waist tightened as they walked through the dark, deserted streets. She stared straight ahead, refusing to show the other just how frightened and terrified she was. The demon's smirk was more than enough to make her determined to ignore her. She tried in vain to detach herself from the warmth of said individual, but since she was dressed poorly, the cold night air made her step closer to the other, despite her better judgment. This only made Fate's lascivious grin widen even further. Nanoha narrowed her eyes and suppressed a shudder.

"Where are we going?" She asked bitterly.

"Well, well, so the lamb speaks." A mocking and amused voice. She glared at Fate involuntarily. "What does it want from this humble lion?"

Humble? Nanoha nearly scoffed. The only reason why she restrained herself from arguing back was because she did not want to rise to the bait.

"Where are we going?" She repeated acidly.

"You know, people in situations like yours normally ask 'Where are you taking me'."

"Your point?"

Fate suddenly moved back and settled herself behind her. Two warm arms drew her in, and Nanoha involuntarily sighed into the sudden warmth.

"Am I growing on you?"

That voice…Nanoha snapped. She tore out from the other's embrace. A hateful glare made its way up her face.

"Do you honestly believe I want to be anywhere near you?!" She spat, "You've kidnapped me, and you've threatened me, and you think I'll be peaches and cream?!"

And Fate was shameless enough to smile innocently and say, "Yes. I do. I like peaches and cream."

"You're insufferable!"

"Am I?" The other girl hummed, then took her by the hand and proceeded to haul her along. "That's a new one."

"Good for you…" She muttered under her breath, intent on ignoring her, yet failing miserably because there was no way to ignore a person like Fate Testarossa.

It wasn't long before she was pulled into a parking lot, in which Fate picked out a car. And then, as Nanoha gawked on at what the blonde was about to do, she pressed the tip of her finger against the car's hood, and the car sparked to life. With an overly confident smirk, Fate pointed at the passenger's seat and Nanoha resignedly slid inside. The blonde's smile intensified into one of pure delight as she backed the car out of the parking space and set it in gear.

"You can sleep if you want." Her voice was oddly quiet, and it was scary to be heard from a person wearing a smile to rival the sun's glow. "We'll be driving for a while."

Nanoha narrowed her eyebrows suspiciously, because she did not trust the blonde anywhere, and even less driving a car that could go up to 140 miles per hour. She found herself wide awake for the next thirty minutes, watching the blonde as she drove on, leading them somewhere Nanoha could not recognize. Strangely enough, the blue eyed girl did not feel anything remotely similar to panic, as most people in that situation would've done.

Instead, the nagging voice of sleep at the back of her mind made it harder and harder for her to stay awake. Only one thought kept her awake for as long as she did. The thought that Fate's concentration was eerily similar to the one she had shown while killing the men in that building. And as alarming as that thought was to her, the soundlessness and the feel of tire crunching gravel underneath her soon lulled her into something resembling sleep.

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When she woke up, it was nearly dawn. The sky had lightened considerably, from pitch black, to a soft, pretty, light orange glow. She wearily blinked the sleep from her eyes as she realized they were still driving. But this time, none of her surroundings felt familiar. Probably because she had never seen so many mountains and trees in her life. There were no cars or buildings in sight, and they were completely surrounded by the wilderness.

In the seat beside her, Fate was leaning back in her seat, a hand on the wheel and the other resting on her thigh. Her burgundy eyes were trained straight ahead, although they would dart to look at the side mirrors. More frequently, however, she looked straight at the rearview mirror, in a movement that Nanoha couldn't help but label a result of paranoia. And suddenly, her nose twitched, and she turned to look at Nanoha, wearing a peculiar expression of amusement for someone who hadn't slept during the whole night.

"You have drool on your face."

She blinked blearily.

The heat rose up to her face without warning.

She wiped at her face furiously with the sleeve of her shirt, all the while glaring at the sniggering blonde beside her.

"You tease…" She grumbled, turning away from her.

And Fate could not help but think her reaction was cute. The blonde grinned.

"Oh, you have no idea…"

And predictably, Nanoha fell for the bait. She turned to face her, obviously disgruntled.

"That's not what I meant, Testarossa!" She snapped.

"I know. I'm just naturally perverted."

Nanoha's right eye twitched. How could she say that with such a straight face…?

"You're such a…a…!"

Fate smiled prettily.

"A sexy girl? Thank you, Nanoha-chan, but I already knew that."

"No, Testarossa." She began dryly, "Thank _you_ for being so dreadfully modest."

"Why yes, Takamachi." Fate pretended to gush, "I do suppose that is one of my many wonderful qualities."

Nanoha rolled her eyes and turned back to her corner of the car. But inside, she was marveling at how unbearably infuriating the burgundy eyed demon was. Her hands gripped her seat and she was suddenly attacked by a wave of anguish. She longed to be back home with her parents and siblings.

"You torment yourself unnecessarily, you know." Fate stated quietly, looking straight ahead with an unnaturally straight face.

She couldn't help but retort, "Are you sure that's not you?"

Fate cracked an odd smile but remained quiet. Nanoha huffed in annoyance. The least the blonde could do was continue the conversation.

"How'd you know I was awake, anyway?" She asked ill-humoredly, refusing to look at Fate.

"My Nanoha senses were tingling."

Nanoha's nose twitched.

"Your what were what?" She asked flatly, staring at the blonde with a deadpan expression.

"You heard me."

That pleasant smile again. The one that sent shivers of fear throughout her body.

"…Where are we going?" She asked.

Her voice no longer carried any sort of emotion. It was cold, and her gaze was frozen, glued to the road ahead of them.

"As you can probably see, we're in the mountains. One of my hideouts is located near the peak." Was Fate's simple answer as she took the fork in the road that took them up. "Any other pointless questions?"

"What's your damn problem?!" She asked, turning around to face her in her seat, "What the hell do I have to do with you people?! Why'd you have to kidnap me, Fate?! Take me home!"

"No."

"Then please," She cried desperately, "answer my questions!"

"…There are some I will not answer."

She breathed in and asked, "What are you? All of you."

"We are people who have the ability to do extraordinary things. Magic, as you call it."

"Who do Yuuno-san and Chrono-san work for?"

"The TSAB, currently under the command of Jail Scaglietti."

Fate's voice was cold and bitter.

"Who is Jail Scaglietti?"

The blonde's knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel.

"An evil man."

"Evil how?"

"No comment."

Frustrated, Nanoha tried again, "He was the man who did things to you. Why did he do those things?"

"No comment." The blonde's voice was acid and filled with such bitter scorn, that for a second, Nanoha felt guilty for asking her those questions.

"What happened to you?" She asked, and this time, her voice was quiet.

Fate's eyes flashed, and for a moment, there was terror in her eyes. But as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone and Nanoha wasn't sure whether or not she had imagined it.

"He ordered many experiments to be performed on me." Her voice seemed to be shaking, but it was hardly noticeable. "They took me from Chrono-kun's house as I had been adopted by his mother…After that, they took me to a lab and locked me inside. It was such a dark place…" Fate faltered. "…There were so many needles…So many things they injected in my veins that made me feel inhuman…And then they altered everyone else's memories, so they wouldn't know what really happened…And now, other than Jail Scaglietti himself, I'm the only one left whose memories have been left untouched. I know everything…"

She suddenly stopped talking, that voice filled with anguish cutting off, and trained her eyes straight ahead.

"I've already answered your question." She spoke icily, almost as if trying to protect herself. "I'm not going to tell you any more about that."

Nanoha's face was wet, and it took her ten seconds to realize why. There was an ache in her chest that stabbed at her heart whenever she inhaled.

"W-what…" She faltered. "…do you think he was trying to accomplish?"

Fate smiled bitterly.

"I think he wanted to create the most powerful weapon the world had ever seen."

And Nanoha was too scared to ask whether or not he succeeded. She retreated into her corner, feeling like a little girl again.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

When the car finally stopped, the sun was high overhead. They had gone off-road for a few minutes, and Fate had seemed to know the trail well. Nanoha had been sure they would get lost, but she ate her words when they came about a cabin hidden partway underneath a jagged cliff. Surrounded by mountains, it would be easy to miss from above, and even more so on foot. And with a pang of fear, Nanoha realized it was the epitome of the word secluded.

Fate laughed at her face, leaning on the roof of the car. Nanoha glared at her fiercely, feeling a little pang in her chest as she remembered what she had heard.

"How long will we be here?" She asked acidly, slamming the car door shut.

Fate laughed even harder at her pathetic attempts at defiance. Once she got a hold of herself, she shut the door and locked the car.

"We'll be here for a few days, until its safe down in the city."

"How will you know when it is?"

Fate smiled, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "I have my sources."

That was when Nanoha decided that she had obviously gotten over what happened. How else could anyone who had gone through those things be so terribly irritating?

She suppressed the urge to strangle her, knowing well who would be the one to end up on the floor. She swallowed her intense irritation and followed the blonde demon into the cabin. It seemed cozy, not at all the sort of thing she imagined. There were no guns or torture devices. It was a normal, simple cabin. With everything that one might expect inside it. That is, if one were travelling as a married, or intimate, couple. One bed. One bloody, godforsaken bed.

Nanoha rubbed her temples; her intense irritation surfaced once more, except it was multiplied tenfold.

"You planned this, didn't you, Testarossa?" She asked, shooting the burgundy eyed demon a look of intense disgust.

Said demon blanched.

"Planned what?"

Nanoha forced herself to smile. It did not come out pretty. Fate raised an eyebrow.

"You knew this was a one bed cabin, didn't you?"

Realization seemed to dawn on Fate's face. The blonde's mouth twitched and a wry smile unfolded. Nanoha beat down the fascination that arose at this expression.

"No, Nanoha-chan," The blonde said with sparkling eyes, "I know you won't believe me, but I had completely forgotten about that. You seem to think that everything in my mind revolves around being a lecherous pervert."

"You…" Nanoha was a loss for words.

Something about that gaze stole her thoughts the same way Fate had the time they met.

"Come now, Nanoha…" That voice was unlike any she had ever heard. It was dark and cheerful, sweet and bitter, sensuous and husky. "You can't possibly believe that my every thought revolves around getting you in bed…with me."

Nanoha took a step backwards and the back of her knees hit the edge of the bed. Fate was only a few feet away, and Nanoha once again felt as though she were being examined under a microscope. The blonde moved forward swiftly and gracefully, making it seem as though she were dancing. Two fingers raised her chin up, and her gaze reluctantly met Fate's. Her legs were suddenly trembling and she found herself subconsciously leaning forward.

"After all, I have other things to worry about as well…" Soft words coming from that pretty mouth. "One would think _you __want_ _me_ to do those things…"

Nanoha was then overcome by a feeling that made her shiver involuntarily; a feeling she did not understand. It was a feeling that made her pulse quicken and her mouth dry.

She shoved Fate away, too absorbed in her terror at her feelings to notice the small flicker of amusement in the other girl's eyes.

That is, until she heard Fate laughing quietly.

"I'm not going to force myself on you…"

Her face erupted in flames.

"You're impossible!" She hissed, and stormed out of the cabin. "I'll sleep outside!"

An extremely amused Fate followed the girl outside and leaned in the doorway.

"That's very mature."

Nanoha glared at her, her embarrassment escalating. "This coming from the girl who teases me constantly. Either way, I don't suppose it's healthy for me to sleep in the same room as a criminal!"

Fate shrugged.

"Suit yourself. I'll leave the door open." She said, in a voice that clearly stated 'Just come inside, admit defeat, and worship my greatness'.

Nanoha spent the remainder of that day contemplating on how much it would hurt Fate if she shoved her off a cliff.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

It was very cold. The ground was hard. Her clothes were thin. She was shivering badly. She wanted nothing more than to walk inside the cabin, admit defeat, and worship Fate's greatness. But her pride would kill her before it let that happen. And so she huddled into a ball and glared at the mountain. It was such a very lovely mountain…

She wondered when she would get rescued, and if that day would come at all. Maybe she should just jump off the cliff herself and get it over with. That way no one had to suffer. Well, except maybe those who loved her. Yes…she supposed her death would cause them a large amount of pain and suffering… So that definitely ruled out jumping off the cliff as an escape plan. And she was sure that she would never catch Fate unawares…although…maybe if she tried hard enough…

No. She shook her head. That blonde, burgundy eyed demon would find a way to cheat death.

She briefly wondered whether the devil longed to have Testarossa in his domain. She quickly dispelled that thought. It was utterly ridiculous to think that the devil would want Fate in hell. She'd most certainly overthrow him as king.

"Are you done killing yourself out here?"

That voice. She twitched involuntarily. How she hated that arrogant, conceited, sensuous, flirtatious, charming...HALT! Not charming. Oh, most definitely not charming. She would die before she'd admit it was charming. Not that there was anything to admit.

"Testarossa." She growled furiously.

She was sure her voice would've had more of an impact if she hadn't been shivering. That way she wouldn't have sounded like a kitten.

And that way maybe she would've avoided having been laughed at by that…that…infuriating voice.

"Don't laugh at me!" She protested, "I'm serious about this!"

Those pretty eyes seemed to sparkle in the moonlight. For a moment, Nanoha's breath caught in her throat. The light that fell through the night sky hit Fate in such an angle that her hair shone like that of an angel's, making her look very…pretty. And for a moment, Nanoha wondered whether it was possible for Fate to have been another person; the kind person who did not kill for the pleasure of it, and who was just as innocent as a child.

"I know you are." Fate sounded terribly amused. "But as amusing as this is, and believe me, it is, I never brought you up here so you could freeze to death. It can get extremely cold out here, and remember how high up we are. The temperatures here aren't the same as in the cities."

"I sort of figured that one out by myself, thank you very much." She said, huffing.

She blinked.

"Wow," She began, "I can actually see my breath in the air."

Fate nearly rolled her eyes at the amazement portrayed in Nanoha's pretty blue eyes.

"Come on." She insisted, tugging on the other girl's sleeve.

Nanoha pulled her hand away.

"I said no."

"And I said yes. Too bad for you that what I say is what goes."

Fate hauled Nanoha up to her feet. The brown haired girl lost her balance because she had been curled up into a ball for such an extended period of time and fell backwards. Rolling her eyes, Fate grabbed the cuff of her shirt and drew her up again. Nanoha felt her heart skip a beat as they stood face to face. Two warm fingers tapped the side of her face.

"You…" She whispered softly, almost breathlessly.

Fate was smiling, and although it did not fully reach her eyes, it was the most sincere smile Nanoha had seen on the other girl's face.

"Don't be so stubborn when your life is the thing that's in danger." Fate said softly, "Honestly, you haven't changed at all."

The ache in her heart was back again, stronger than ever before, and she gripped Fate's black jacket reflexively.

"Right." She managed to say. "I'm acting like a little kid again."

Fate's smile turned into a smirk.

"Did you ever grow up?"

The ache was gone, and in its place was irritation.

"Did _you_?"

And she only noticed she had gone inside when she was sitting in front of the fire and Fate had begun teasing her about getting closer for an exchange of body heat to help her warm herself.

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The next morning found her curled up beside Fate. She blinked blearily and looked around. Everything was exactly as she had last seen it the night before. The only thing out of the ordinary was that Fate was actually asleep. Nanoha blinked, unreasonable shock coursing through her sleepy mind.

What had she expected? That Fate couldn't sleep because she was some sort of vampire?

She mentally slapped herself. Of course she had to sleep!

Ad suddenly, it dawned on her.

"She's asleep…!" She hissed quietly.

She was wide awake now, creeping through the room towards the door. She grabbed the doorknob and quietly opened the door. And immediately shut it again.

"Fate…!" She had to exert all the self control she had as to not scream.

She jumped on the other girl, shaking her shoulders desperately. The other girl moaned sleepily, and her right hand reached up towards her blindly. It somehow managed to sneak past her jacket and onto the back of her neck.

"Sleeping beauty was woken up with a kiss…"

Nanoha nearly stabbed her with the keys.

"There are men outside!"

The blonde was up so fast Nanoha was knocked backwards into the wall. Fate cursed quietly as she looked through the window.

"How the hell did they find us so quickly…? Well, I suppose Arf was right…I _will_ need her help…"

She ran over to the counter faster than Nanoha had ever seen anyone move and grabbed that golden triangle of hers. She pointed to the back window.

"Out through there. We're flying."

Nanoha blinked.

"We're what?"

"Move it!"

Gunshots erupted outside and the front windows shattered. Nanoha wasted no time opening the window and jumping through it. She landed on her knees, and as she looked up, she saw a man pointing a gun at her. And then there was a streak of yellow before her eyes and the man was thrown off his feet and tossed off the cliff. Fate stood in all her glory where the man had just been, and in her hand she held that staff, the one she had called Bardiche. In her eyes was a cold fury, merciless and raw in its power.

"Give me your hand, Nanoha." It was an order.

One she dared not refuse.

And as soon as her fingers touched Fate's free gloved hand, the ground was wrenched from under her and she was suddenly flying.

_**A/N: **S'not quite what I was aiming for, but...well, what can you do. Promise I'll work harder for the next chapter. Oh, and I believe the Squirt, known as the author of S t y x and Stones to all of you, will update soon as well. I'm not sure though, because even I am being kept in the dark. Oh, and yes, I am her sister. Just so you know._

_Oh, by the way...I got into Kaleido Star this past week. Yeah. -nods head- Sora and Layla...heh heh heh...-begins sniggering-...What subtext...I'll be writing something on that...No doubt about it..._


	4. Chapter 3: A Bad Dream

**Inimical**

**A/N: **_Ouch. Has it really been this long? -gets pelted by vegetables-_

I guess that should be my answer, shouldn't it? I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! My life is currently taking so many twists and turns that I've barely had any time at all to write. With cramming for finals, finishing projects, and my mother being in the hospital, I've had too many things on my plate. And Squirt really hasn't made things easier. But, anyway, I tried to make this chapter a bit more interesting. And I'm sorry to say that the angst in this story and the dark themes will get a lot worse before it gets better. But there will be a happy ending, so don't worry about that. This is actually a fairly long chapter. My longest Nanoha chapter to date, actually. So, I apologize profusely! I hope you enjoy this.

**Chapter 3: **A Bad Dream

_"__Why do I have to fly __over every town up and down the line?  
__I'll die in the clouds above  
__a__nd you that I defend, I do not love. _

_I wake up, it's a bad dream,  
__No one on my side,  
__I was fighting__ b__ut I just feel too tired__to be fighting,  
__Gu__ess I'm not the fighting kind. _

_Where will I meet my fate?  
__Baby I'm a man, I was born to hate.  
__And when will I meet my end?  
__In a better time you could be my friend. _

_I wake up, it's a bad dream,  
__No one on my side,  
__I was fighting__ b__ut I just feel too tired__ to be fighting,  
__G__uess I'm not the fighting kind. _

_Wouldn't mind it__if you were by my side,  
__But you're long __gone,  
__yeah you're long gone now… _

_Where do we go?  
__I don't even know,  
__My strange old face,  
__And I'm thinking about those days,  
__And I'm thinking about those days. _

_I wake up, it's a bad dream,  
__No one on my side,  
__I was fighting__ b__ut I just feel too tired__to be fighting,  
__Guess I'm not the fighting kind.  
__Wouldn't mind it__if you were by my side,  
__But you're long gone, __yeah you're long gone now.__"  
__-A Bad Dream, by Keane (Great song; you should definitely listen to it whenever you get the chance.)_

She had been alone for a long time.

This was one of the thoughts that haunted Fate Testarossa's mind. She had forgotten what it had been like to talk to someone frequently; she had forgotten what it felt like to wake up knowing that there was someone out there who cared about her, however faint that affection might be. She had forgotten how comforting it was to be able to touch someone whom she knew wouldn't hurt her. The ability to trust was something she had long since learned to forsake. She had learned to live for herself only, to think only about the things that would affect her.

She had forgotten what it was like to worry about someone's wellbeing and happiness, had forgotten the sensation of losing control. She had long since learned to forgo her desire for a sense of security. She no longer despaired at the thought of being chased by those who would forever wish her harm, nor did she feel fear at the thought of having to fight for her own freedom. Once she had obtained that which she had wanted during her darkest of moments, she had learned an invaluable lesson that she would never forget.

To remain free was a constant struggle. She would fight for her capability to breathe for the rest of her life and it would never end. But she had not focused on that thought; she had simply lived, her heart shrouded in darkness, her thoughts teetering on the brink between sanity and insanity. But there was a part of her that continued walking forward, the part of her that walked with courage as deep as despair, which clung desperately to the remains of the life she had once lived.

That part of her was the only thing left of the old Fate Testarossa. The only part that had not been destroyed, that had not been killed slowly by the man named Jail Scaglietti. That old Fate had been killed slowly; she had been suffocated and drained of the will to live, to the extent that she had once tried to kill herself. She still remembered the feel of those glass shards against her wrists; she still remembered the stabbing sensation that always came when she was strapped to that steel table. She remembered the feel of the cold metal rings around her neck and arms and chest and legs, and the one they always put inside her mouth to prevent her from biting her tongue when she was strapped to the steel chair.

Fate Testarossa feared remembering more than many things. But the one thing she feared above all else was forgetting.

And she had forgotten many, many things.

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The girl she carried had her arms wrapped around her neck in an attempt to feel as though she weren't going to fall any time within the next few seconds. Fate trained her eyes straight ahead even though she was sorely tempted to look at Nanoha's face. It was such delightful fun to tease the other girl, especially since she became flustered so easily. Normally, she would've felt amusement at the other girl's nervousness, but this time she only felt indifference, and instead, she focused on looking back to make sure the men weren't following them.

"Are they following us?"

Fate's lips twitched. Sometimes, it felt as though the other girl could read her thoughts like an open book.

"Not yet."

The brown haired girl in her arms shifted back, taking deep, shaky breaths as she looked around them. Before long, the girl was grinning foolishly, almost as if having discovered something amazing. Fate felt a tiny twitch of annoyance in her stomach. She thought about how easy it would be to taint the innocence of the girl in her arms. Her stomach twisted painfully and she gritted her teeth. She suddenly felt horribly warped and dirty.

"Flying is…exhilarating…" Nanoha breathed, loosing almost all of her fear of falling. "Do you do this often, Testarossa?"

Fate looked at the girl and their eyes met. Her own eyes bore into slate blue, transfixed with how they seemed to glow. The other girl's cheeks colored almost reflexively and her gaze was immediately directed towards something else.

"No, I don't. It's rather easy to attract attention to yourself while travelling in the cities. Or do you think I have some kind of superpower that allows me to turn invisible at will?"

Her voice was teasing, her smile crooked, her burgundy eyes shining with mischief. She could feel Nanoha's glare coming before the girl had even directed the intensity of its gaze towards her.

"Well, you never really know with you…" A defensive hiss, passionate and poisonous all at the same time.

Fate hummed with a delighted smile in Nanoha's direction before reaching down with her mouth and nibbling the corner of Nanoha's ear. The girl let out a choked whining sound before wriggling around in her arms.

"You…! Wait until I can defend myself…!"

"Against me?" Fate nearly scoffed. "I'd appreciate it if you refrained from lying to yourself like that. It makes me feel bad."

"…It's because of you that everything's happened to me!"

Fate smiled coldly. It would have been so easy to say that it wasn't her fault any of this had happened. It would have been so easy to blame Alicia Testarossa for everything that had happened. Because if Alicia Testarossa had not died when she was eight, Precia Testarossa would not have created her with the help of Jail Scaglietti. If Alicia Testarossa had not died, she would not have been created, Precia Testarossa would not have obsessed with the possibility of bringing her back to life, and would not have tried to obtain the Lost Logia. If Alicia Testarossa had not died, and Precia Testarossa had not done any of those things, Yuuno Scrya would have never gone to retrieve the Lost Logia, and in turn, he would have never given Raising Heart to Nanoha and nothing would have ever turned out the way it had.

It would have been so easy to blame it all on a dead child. But she didn't.

"Indeed it is."

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By the time they arrived at the outskirts of the city they had originally escaped from, the sun was sinking in the horizon. Fate landed at the top of a parking garage and dropped Nanoha. The brown haired girl stretched and sighed as she resigned herself to follow Fate to yet another car she would somehow jolt awake and drive to wherever it was she was going to take her. Once in the passenger's seat, Nanoha buckled her seatbelt and prepared herself for another long drive.

However, this drive proved to be much shorter than the first. In fifteen minutes they were pulling onto a street that seemed way too lively and full of happy drunks to be the place Fate had meant to take her. And yet the blonde continued driving down the street, seemingly headed towards a bar at the end of the street where most of the noise seemed to be coming from. Her burgundy eyed captor parked the car a few yards away in a miraculously empty parking space and slid out of the car. Nanoha reluctantly got out of the car, a feeling in the pit of her stomach making her feel extremely shy and out of place.

Fate's nose twitched and those intense eyes focused on her face.

"You're scared."

It was a statement. Nothing more, nothing less. No emotions to be shown.

"I am." She admitted, knowing it would be futile to try and hide it from the blonde.

"Why?"

Nanoha looked away and said, "It may be my first time at a bar, but it's definitely not my first time getting harassed by drunkards. I'm not looking forward to this…"

She jumped as a hand was placed upon her shoulder.

"You won't have to be scared of that."

And the hidden promise underneath the folds of that charming voice made her look up. But before she could say anything, the blonde girl had begun walking towards the bar. Nanoha gazed at Fate's confident stride, and after a moment, she set off after her.

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Takamachi Nanoha felt as though she were a deer caught in the headlights of a car driving at 80 mph. Her sense of discomfort could only increase as she watched the mass of writhing bodies on the dance floor. She stepped closer to Fate, thoroughly uncomfortable with the things that were going on around her. She was not at all comfortable watching other people slide against each other. She could almost hear Fate laughing at her for being such a prude.

But instead, the other girl took her hand and said, "Come on."

She was led around the dance floor and dragged to a door at the other end of the room. The door led them to some stairs, which, after being climbed, led them both to another door. Fate did not bother knocking and simply wrenched it open and showed herself inside. Nanoha followed her, not keen on being left out in a dark hallway alone. Fate closed the door behind them.

"Arf." Fate called, keeping her voice as calm and soft as it always was.

There was a soft growling in response. Nanoha took a step back, eyebrows narrowing in alarm. Fate took a step forward.

"It's me." She said.

And suddenly, in a flash of red fur, a big dog…wolf…thing…jumped Fate. The blonde was shoved backwards from the impact, and she heaved as the breath was knocked out of her. Nanoha gaped as the dog…wolf…thing…transformed into a young woman before her very eyes.

"Fate-chan!"

Fate…chan…?

Nanoha's left eye twitched.

"Arf."

And the blonde girl sounded genuinely happy to see her. After a few moments of being hugged, Fate pulled back from the embrace and looked at the other girl's face. Arf gave her a wolfish grin.

"And I'm guessing the mighty hunter needs the help of one such as I." Her voice was playfully smug.

Fate flashed her a wicked smile. Nanoha felt her heart skip a beat.

"I suppose even I must bow down to someone sometime."

"Is it the TSAB? Or is it Hayate and her little group ofWolkenritter?"

Fate was instantly serious. Her eyes darkened.

"No, it's not them. Those men have come chasing me again."

"Would this have anything to do with her?" Arf asked, jabbing a finger in Nanoha's direction. "I told you not to go chasing her around."

Fate suddenly glared at Arf. She turned to Nanoha.

"Wait for me downstairs."

"But-"

"Hurry up!"

Nanoha flinched but glared back at Fate. She yanked the door open and slammed it shut behind her. Furiously, she walked downstairs and took a seat next to a couple caught up in each other. She muttered to herself, irritated at her captor, outraged at the unfairness of it all. She was suddenly elbowed in the stomach. She glared at the couple beside her, stood up, and walked over to another seat. This one was beside the door that led to the stairs. It had just recently been vacated by a couple of guys that had been drinking intensely moments prior.

And speak of the devil. One was walking up to her.

"Hey." He drawled out, apparently trying to act smooth. "Wanna dance?"

Nanoha sighed at her horrid stroke of luck.

"No thanks." She said, attempting a smile.

The guy was too drunk to notice that it looked more like a grimace.

"Can I buy you a drink, then?"

"I don't really drink…"

The guy laughed and sat down beside her, leaning towards her while grinning like an idiot. Nanoha looked anywhere but at him. If she ignored him, he had to go away.

"You're pretty hot…"

She shook her head and stood up. She walked through the door and started heading up the stairs. If Fate wanted to talk, she'd cover her eyes and shut her eyes, but she wasn't going to stay there while an idiot tried to pick her up. But before she could actually start, the guy grabbed her arm and pushed her back against the door. She let out a muffled cry.

"Don't be like that…"

A hand crept up her thigh. Her heart beat madly in her chest and she struggled, her hand curling up into a fist and striking the guy in the face. Her face suddenly jerked to the side and a stinging sensation spread across the right side of her face. She let out a scream that was quickly muffled by the guy's free hand. The sound of a zipper being slid reached her ears. Her panic increased her struggling.

"Hands off."

Fate's fist shot out of nowhere socking the guy straight in the face. He whirled around clumsily and sent a badly aimed kicked towards her stomach. The blonde dodged backwards, grabbed his leg and flipped him around. He landed on his face, and kicked out wildly, accidentally catching Nanoha's own legs and tripping her up. Fate pulled the man up by his hair and smashed his face against the floor. She drew him up to his feet and glared at his bloody face.

"Do you think it's fun to force yourself on other people?"

He moaned and shook his head. Fate's hands trembled. She shoved him back.

"Get out before I change my mind."

The air crackled with electricity as the young man dragged himself away from the enraged blonde. Nanoha trembled on the floor, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as her numbed brain attempted to process what had almost happened. Her eyes tentatively looked up at Fate's back, taking in her stiff posture and clenched fists. She reached out with her own hand and grabbed one of Fate's fists. At first, the skin felt hot under her fingers and a stinging sensation spread across her whole arm. But then the hand relaxed and unclenched and Nanoha was able to take it in her own.

"…Thank you."

She stood up and looked into unreadable eyes of burgundy.

"…Nanoha…" The girl trailed off.

The brown haired girl nearly flinched under the intensity of that gaze. Her heart jumpstarted again. And again, she asked herself why, oh _why_, was she acting like a hormonal teenager?

"…Yes?"

"Your hand is sweaty. It's rather unpleasant."

And the brown haired girl could not help but squeeze Fate's hand a lot tighter than necessary.

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Her first instinct had been to hit the guy so hard his teeth would be knocked out.

Her second instinct had been to get him away from Nanoha.

Her third instinct had been to want him dead.

But there had been something in the back of her mind, a nagging voice that told her it would not be wise to kill someone at a bar when laying low. That did not stop her from being extremely angry. That did not stop her from smashing his face against the floor. And she probably would've continued doing it had it not been against their best interests.

And she had felt furious. But once those fingers touched her hand, her anger had evaporated, because she had remembered the words the brown haired girl had told her only minutes prior.

_"…it's definitely not my first time getting harassed by drunkards. I'm not looking forward to this."_

Instead, she had felt an emotion she had not felt for a very long time.

And when the time came that she knew the other girl was waiting for her to say something, she said the only thing she could think of saying at the time, when what she truly wanted to say was that Nanoha's hand was warm.

And she had not felt that kind of warmth in a very long time.

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A few minutes later found Nanoha sitting on the edge of a bed inside a bedroom within the bar across the hall from Arf's office. Inside said bedroom within the bar across the hall from Arf's office there was also a very bored blonde kidnapper. This kidnapper was messing around with the TV inside said bedroom within the bar across the hall from Arf's office. And the constant click of the channel being changed was driving Nanoha crazy.

"Would you please…just… stop?" Nanoha asked, lying on her back while watching the burgundy eyed girl sitting on the couch within said bedroom.

"Convince me." Her infuriating blonde captor replied.

Nanoha sent a well-aimed pillow at Fate's head. It struck the blonde across the face and knocked the remote out of her hand.

Almost immediately, Nanoha felt a chill run up her spine, although she felt a pang of satisfaction at having actually hit the other girl.

"…You'll regret that, Takamachi."

Nanoha jumped out of the bed and grabbed at the other pillow for defense as the blonde girl moved to pick up the pillow she had just been struck with. In the blink of an eye, Fate was behind Nanoha slamming the pillow forcefully against the back of her head. The brown haired girl stumbled forward and clumsily swung her pillow back at Fate. But the blonde devil wasn't there. Instead, she felt herself trip as she walked backwards and suddenly her back was against the bed, her legs tangled in the bed sheets.

"You've convinced me."

And she was suddenly extremely nervous at the way Fate was staring at her.

Something dark and incredibly sensual ran across her captor's face, and Nanoha's skin suddenly started to prickle. She couldn't move as Fate leaned down, two hands placed on either side of her face. Her mouth was dry as she felt something press against the crook of her neck. Small, soft kisses against her skin and a hand that was slowly running down her side to flit under her shirt. She couldn't help the small whimper that escaped her throat.

And it was that absolutely infuriating chuckle, that obvious smile against her skin, the way her own hands gripped the bed sheets tightly as she lay against the bed, that made her shove the blonde away with all the force she could muster. Fate sat on the bed, the look in her eyes not dying down, the crooked smile on her face not fading.

"What's wrong, _Nanoha?_You seemed to be enjoying yourself back there."

Nanoha glared at the blonde, her heart suddenly wrenching painfully in her chest. It was in the way Fate had said her name, in the way her eyes said everything and nothing at the same time. It was in the way her eyes hid her emotions from the outside world. And for the first time, Fate had slipped, and those eyes were tormented with the need to say the things that lay deep within her heart.

_"Nanoha…"_

She suddenly couldn't bear it. She tossed herself at Fate, her heart shattering, her eyes full of tears, and she was sobbing before she knew what was happening.

She had never felt so agonized by confusion or so torn apart by hatred and a sense of affection she did not want to feel. She had never felt such despair, nor had she ever wanted to scream until her voice was gone. She felt like a little girl, and she wanted to _know_. But she didn't know what it was that she wanted to remember.

_Remember_.

And she would not calm down, even as she saw Fate's taken aback expression, nor did she calm down when a tentative hand brushed her hair. She did not flinch when the blonde shoved her away and proceeded to smash her fist against the mirror repeatedly.

_Remember the lonely eyes and the innocent expression._

It was only when the other girl shut the lights off and drew her into her arms that she calmed down from her fit of hysteria, because she couldn't see Fate's eyes and the anguish that lay within. And it was there, huddled up against Fate that she fell asleep, wishing a wish that was not her own to wish.

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_The floor was cold. It was frozen against her skin as she lay there in a crumpled heap._

_She could not see where she was, could not see anything through the darkness. Pitch blac__k. A never ending abyss of darkness._

_And it was cold as she __laid__ there, her cheek against the floor, one of her arms twisted at an odd angle. Bruises lined her skin and there were dark circles under her eyes. They stared out__ blankly, glazed over as the mind behind them was lost within memories._

It was hard to breathe. The air seemed thick like syrup, hard to inhale and exhale. Again she was that child in the cold darkness, her heart beating erratically in her chest, her eyes flickering from side to side in paranoia. It was too dark. It was too hard to breathe. She wanted nothing more than to get out of that bedroom, wanted nothing more than to turn on the lights and wrap her arms around herself. She was remembering too many things and they invaded her heart like a bad dream. A nightmare from which she could not wake up.

She was a little girl again, inside a steel room with memories that were not her own to remember, and a life that was given to her by the woman that would never come to love her. She was a little girl again, wrapped around herself, forced to sit in a chair for days without food or water. She was a little girl again, being numbed of the senses, devoid of the ability to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch; a torture unlike any other. She was a little girl again, her skin being pricked by needles, being watched from afar by a man who took a sadistic pleasure in watching her scream. She was a little girl again, inside a steel cage, tearing at the bars without even jarring them.

She was a little girl again, shouting for someone to help her even when she knew no one would come save her.

_She was numb to the cold and indifferent to the darkness. Her heart ached as she remembered and her blood ran cold as she heard footsteps outside the room. The air suddenly became thick and hard to breathe. The silence was suddenly broken._

_"No…no…don't make her forget…Please…"_

_The girl slumped on the floor like a broken doll__ was__ having a rabid dream._

_"Don't make her forget…Please…please…"_

_'__Why should she have to remember for your sake? She wants to forget. Stop being so selfish.__'_

_"Please…! Please! Nanoha…Nanoha!__ No…please!"_

_Dead eyes were full of tears and they slid down porcelain cheeks as the mind remembered. The mind remembered the promise at the bridge._

_"Please, Nanoha! Don't! Don't make her forget me!"_

_'Shut up. Take her back to the cells.'_

_'Yes sir.'_

_"Nanoha…! Nanoha…! Don't forget me…Nanoha!"_

She was a little girl again, begging not to be forgotten.

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Takamachi Nanoha woke up to the sound of the bed shifting. It was dawn now and the soft sunlight filtered through the window curtains. Her shirt was stained with blood that was not her own. She looked up to find Fate Testarossa sitting in a chair, her right hand caked with blood. Dark, heavy circles were present below her eyelids. She was staring quietly at the window, her face an unreadable mask. Nanoha felt her heart wrench violently as she remembered the anguish in those eyes.

She stood from the bed and walked over to the other girl, a sudden need overwhelming her. She reached out with her hand and her fingers encircled the wrist of the girl that she now realized might not be who and what she appeared to be. The burgundy eyed girl did not look up, nor did she move. She remained in an almost trance-like state as Nanoha pulled her out of the chair and led her to the bathroom. She placed Fate's hand under the water faucet and let the water run down the hand, washing away the blood.

Fate did not flinch at the sudden cold contact, nor did she wince in pain at having her cuts handled. She remained there, unnaturally quiet, watching Nanoha as she searched for bandages to wrap her hand within. Nanoha had the feeling that she was being studied, and she felt oddly self conscious as she helped Fate.

"I'm sorry."

Fate stared back at her.

"For what?" The girl asked, making a sound for the first time since the night before.

"I don't know what came over me last night…I…"

"It's fine. Don't do it again."

Nanoha stared at her, her left eyebrow twitching. She finished applying the bandages and moved back a little.

"You aren't very good with people, are you?"

"Of course I am." Fate replied in a deadpanned voice, "How do you think I obtained all of those enemies?"

Nanoha's nose twitched and she could not help but smile at the other girl's attempt at humor. Fate smiled back at her, and even though it did not reach her eyes, Nanoha felt it was a warm smile. Her stomach did a somersault.

Uneasily, she began to ask, "Why do you-?"

But suddenly, the room began to shake and a rumbling sound reached their ears. Fate stood up, alarm crossing her features and she tugged Nanoha along with her to the hall. Nanoha had not noticed when Fate had grabbed her little golden triangle from the top of the table in their bedroom, but the girl now had it in her hands and was hurrying to transform. A growling sound attracted her attention towards Arf's office where the girl was now a wolf again and running towards Fate.

"Where?" The girl asked.

"The roof." Arf responded, and they both turned to the flight of stairs at the end of the hallway.

They were out of sight before Nanoha could ask what was going on. She sighed and twitched in irritation before running after them. After a few flights of stairs, Nanoha reached the door to the roof, by which time she was already panting and out of breath. Another massive roar reached her ears. Whatever was going on through that door certainly had something to do with magic.

She pulled the door open and ran outside only to come face to face with an incoming barrage of magical power.

Before she could blink, she was pulled out of the way by a very ticked off Fate.

"Why can't you just stay out of trouble?" The burgundy eyed girl snarled as she dropped her a little ways off from the door.

Nanoha glared at her. "Why can't you tell me what's going on?"

They glared at each other before a coughing noise drew their attention to a brown haired girl standing on the very edge of the roof. Arf was floating above the ground pitted against another wolf. The stranger grinned at Fate maliciously.

"Well, well. Who might this be?"

Fate glared at the girl and stepped in front of Nanoha.

"No one you should concern yourself with." She snapped, her eyes glinting dangerously.

"Do you actually care about this one, Testarossa?"

"What business is it of yours?"

The brown haired stranger smirked and looked straight at Nanoha.

"I'm Yagami Hayate. Would you by any chance be the kidnapped Takamachi Nanoha?"

Fate hid her from view.

"Again, what business is it of yours?"

"Nothing. I'd just like to know who it is I'm going to kidnap before I do it."

And quite suddenly, Nanoha was picked off the ground by a woman with pink hair and blue eyes. Fate whirled around, muttering something. A flash of light invaded Nanoha vision and Fate had disappeared. In the blink of an eye, Nanoha was dropped again. She landed on her knees, eliciting a sharp cry from her lips.

"Be careful when rescuing me, you idiot!" She shouted at Fate, who was currently in single combat with the girl that had attempted to take her.

"Shut up and be grateful!" Fate shouted back, forcing the other girl to retreat to where Hayate stood.

"You've gotten better, Testarossa." The girl said, holding up her weapon in case Fate tried something else.

"You were never a match for me anyway, Signum." Fate replied holding Bardiche firmly in her hands. "Where's Vita? Is she still sleeping in her cradle?"

Just then, a young girl with red hair crashed into the ground before them. She held up a hammer in her hands, and shooting Fate a powerful glare, turned back to her opponent. A girl with blue hair landed nimbly beside Fate. She grinned at her and Nanoha watched as Fate's eyebrow rose.

"And Teana?"

The girl pointed to the roof of the building beside theirs. Fate turned back to Hayate. The brown haired girl's expression was a glare, one that sent chills up Nanoha's spine.

"Prepare yourself, Testarossa."

But before anyone could move, a voice rang out clearly through the air.

"You have been surrounded. By order of Jail Scaglietti, all of you are under arrest."

And quite suddenly, Yuuno and Chrono were standing in the middle of the battlefield, and enforcers were stationed on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. Chrono looked Fate straight in the eyes.

"Fate Testarossa, you are under arrest for the murder of countless people, for the complete destruction of one of the TSAB's main laboratories, for trespassing in the TSAB's main headquarters, for the kidnapping of Takamachi Nanoha, and for the attempted murder of Jail Scaglietti."

Fate took a few steps back and drew Nanoha closer to her.

"For some reason, I don't think that last one should be a crime."

Yuuno glared at her.

"It is."

**A/N: **_Hmm...I'm trying to finish this Christmas fic by tomorrow, but if it's not posted by then...heh, late Christmas fluff! Thanks for reading!_

_:nudges reader towards review button:_

_Food for the writer's mind! Also, I'll try to update Melody as soon as I can. I'm currently undergoing a writer's block for S h a t t e r e d, but not to worry. I'll get over it soon. By the way, these fics WILL get finished. Just thought I'd let you know. I'm not one to quit. I just have to...think for a long time sometimes. Heh. _

_Cheers!_


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